Chandra People: Farewell to Brian McNamara

SAO
The Chandra X-ray Center provides researchers with support that includes data processing and a science data archive. The Center is operated for NASA by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and is situated on the campus of Harvard University.
July 18, 2000 :: Astrophysicist Brian McNamara, came to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in 1993. Brian is leaving the Chandra X-ray Center on July 18, 2000 to accept a faculty position at Ohio University. He wants to try teaching; it's something that has been on his mind for a while. He has been working with the Chandra calibration group for seven years and feels it's time to try something different.

Brian McNamara
Brian McNamara

Brian McNamara

Q: What have you liked about SAO?
A: Great place to work, exciting, nice area to live, lots of great people

Q: What are your areas of research interest (i.e. stars, black holes, galaxies, clusters)?
A: Clusters of galaxies, properties of distant clusters, and cluster cooling flows

Q: Are you using Chandra images in your research?
A: Yes

Optical Image of Hydra A X-ray Image of Hydra A
Hydra A -- Optical Hydra A -- X-ray
Q: If so, Which image(s)?
A: Hydra A - recently published a paper onAbell 2597, to be observed in September, 2000. Also worked with Mike Wise, MIT/CXC, &, Craig Sarazin, U.VA, on other Chandra observations of clusters. Also conduct observations with optical telescopes.

Q: How are these images changing your particular area of research? (Give an example.)
A: Major impact - can resolve cores of clusters; see detailed gas in the center; Chandra will have a big impact on understanding cooling flows because of high spatial resolution!

Recent Headlines
Q: What would you suggest for future X-ray astronomy missions?
A: Faster, bigger, more expensive! 10 meter optics with 1/2 arc second mirrors would be great. Chandra has spoiled us, it would be difficult to go back to low resolution.

Additional comments:
"It's been a wonderful ride! The past year has been the most exciting in my career."

Now Brian can sit back, relax & enjoy the beautiful Chandra images.

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Updated: April 24, 2007